Category: January 07

• NATIONAL PLAY OUTSIDE DAY – First Saturday of Every Month

  NATIONAL PLAY OUTSIDE DAY

  If it’s the first Saturday of the month, it’s National Play Outside Day. So, no matter what month it is, everyone put down their electronic devices and get outside!

  #PlayOutsideDay

  All year long, we are given numerous opportunities to get outside and play. But sometimes, life, responsibilities, and distractions keep us from spending time in the fresh air as we should. National Play Outside Day is a reminder to stretch our legs and expend some energy in the great outdoors.

  Benefits of Outdoor Play

  Why is playing outside so good for us? Besides getting us off the sofa or away from the desk, it also gives us an opportunity to explore our neighborhoods. While it’s impossible to list all the benefits of outdoor play, we do have a few to share.

  • Playing outdoors is a freeing activity. It frees us from routines, enclosed spaces, and frames of mind.
  • The outdoors fills us with energy. Whether it’s the fresh air, sunshine, or physical activity, we perk up and become motivated to accomplish things.
  • It clears the cobwebs from our brains. We sometimes get stuck on a topic, project, or issue and are unable to resolve it. A change of scene often brings clarity we didn’t have before.
  • Outdoor play provides terrific physical activity for our bodies. Our hearts pump fresh oxygen to our limbs and brains.
  • We experience new sights and sounds. Children get to experience the world around them.
  • As a social activity, playing outside encourages positive interactions.
  • When you play outside every month, it becomes habit-forming – and this is one good habit to have!
  • It stimulates the imagination. Outdoor play almost has no boundaries. Your yard can be a kingdom or the playground can be a mountain to scale.

  We’ve only scratched the surface of the benefits of outdoor play. There are so many more! So, be sure to get outside with the family on the first Saturday of every month – or even more often than that!

  HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL PLAY OUTSIDE DAY

  We know the seasons change, so what we were able to do outside last month will be different this month. However, that shouldn’t stop you from celebrating the day. This is your monthly reminder that it’s time to get outside and play. We have suggestions for every season that we’re sure you’ll enjoy!

  • Explore hiking trails near you.
  • Visit the local swimming pool or even take swimming lessons.
  • Check out every park in your neighborhood and climb, slide or swing on every playground set.
  • Start a game of catch, kickball, tag, or Frisbee or make up a game.
  • Go to the beach.
  • Run through the sprinkler.
  • Go camping.
  • Go fishing.
  • Fly a kite.
  • Jump in a pile of leaves.
  • Build a fort – of leaves or snow or whatever is handy.
  • Walk around the block.
  • Go for a bike ride.
  • Build a snowperson.
  • Go sledding.
  • Identify the constellations at night and look for meteors.
  • Visit your favorite state or national park.
  • Check out these 9 Fun Winter Outdoor Activities.

  What’s your favorite way to play outside? Introduce some of the games you used to play to your children. Whatever you do, be sure to get outside and play! Use #PlayOutsideDay to share on social media.

  NATIONAL PLAY OUTSIDE DAY HISTORY

  In 2011, Aaron Wiggans and Rhonda D. Abeyta founded National Play Outside Day as a reminder to explore and play in the world outside. The day encourages healthful habits that will last a lifetime.

  October 23, 2020

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  National Day Calendar

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  April 01, August 05, December 02, February 04, Health & Awareness, January 07, July 01, June 03, March 04, May 06, National Day, November 04, October 07, Pop Culture & Lifestyle, September 02

• NATIONAL BOBBLEHEAD DAY – January 7

  NATIONAL BOBBLEHEAD DAY

  Each year on January 7th, National Bobblehead Day recognizes a day of celebration for all spring-connected head bobbing figurines.

  #NationalBobbleheadDay

  For over 100 years, bobbleheads have been entertaining and fascinating fans and collectors. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, too. Bobbleheads commemorate iconic teams, movies, and cartoon characters. Individually, they represent some of our most exciting athletes or thrilling television and movie characters. 

  Early bobbleheads, known as bobbers or nodders, developed from Germany. They took root in the United States pop culture in the 1950s and 60s. Bobbleheads resurged in the late 1990s when professional sports teams began using them as promotional items. Today, as toys and collectibles, bobbleheads continue to amuse and captivate us. 

  HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL BOBBLEHEAD DAY

  National Bobblehead Day is the perfect opportunity to explore the world of bobbleheads. 

  • Share your favorite bobblehead, or collect a new one!
  • Give the gift of a bobblehead to someone you know.
  • Learn something new about bobblehead history.
  • Visit the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum.

  Use #NationalBobbleheadDay to post on social media.

  Do you want to know more about bobbleheads? Read Celebration Spotlight where we interview Phil Sklar, co-founder and CEO of the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum.

  NATIONAL BOBBLEHEAD DAY HISTORY

  The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum submitted National Bobblehead Day in December 2014. On November 18, 2014, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum was also announced. The museum opened in 2016 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and houses the world’s most extensive collection of bobbleheads. The museum houses a hall of fame honoring the best bobbleheads and exhibits related to the history and making of bobbleheads.

  The Registrar at National Day Calendar proclaimed the National Bobblehead Day in 2014 to be observed annually on January 7th. 

  Bobblehead FAQ

  Q. Are bobbleheads only sports figures and mascots?
  A. No. Today, bobbleheads represent pop culture, politics, sports, and history. In addition, custom bobbleheads can be made in your own likeness.

  Q. Is a bobblehead the same as a wobbler?
  A. Yes. The bobblehead goes by a variety of names including wobbler and nodder.

  Q. Do bobbleheads do anything else besides…bobble?
  A. Yes. Some of them include prerecorded messages. Press the button to find out what the bobblehead has to say.

  Q. Are bobbleheads collectible?
  A. Yes. Some bobbleheads can be quite collectible. Their value may be determined by the subject, quality, popularity, and how many were produced.

  January 7th Celebrated (and Not So Celebrated) History

  1887

  Explorer and adventurer Thomas Stevens completes the first circumnavigation of the world with a bicycle. He departed from Oakland, CA on April 22, 1884. His journey was completed when he arrived in Boston, MA, on August 4, 1884. After wintering in New York, he proceeded across the Atlantic Ocean on the City of Chicago bound for Liverpool, UK. Steven’s final leg of his trip returns him to San Francisco aboard the City of Peking on January 7, 1887. Astonishingly, Stevens covered approximately 13,500 miles on two wheels.

  1896

  Fannie Merrit Farmer self-publishes Boston Cooking-School Cook Book. The book’s name would later be renamed The Fannie Farmer Cookbook. Farmer, a graduate of the Boston Cooking School, later became the school’s principal. Who’s hungry for Fannie Farmer, now?

  1927

  The Harlem Globetrotters travel to Hinkley, Illinois to play their first basketball game. Since then, the Globetrotters have attained icon status in the world of basketball, and they continue to entertain fans worldwide.

  2022

  Surgeons at the University of Maryland Medical Center completed the first transplant of a genetically modified pig’s heart into a human. The patent, David Bennet, suffered from terminal heart disease and did not qualify for a human-to-human transplant. Receiving a porcine heart was the only option available to him.

  January 7th Celebrated (and Not So Celebrated) Birthdays

  Millard Fillmore – 1800

  President Millard Fillmore was elected as the 13th President of the United States under the Whig ticket. Since then, no other third-party candidate has been elected. Fillmore’s presidency was an uneasy if inevitable segue into the Civil War years. While anti-slavery, Fillmore made legislative compromises and did not support his successor, Abraham Lincoln.

  Zora Neale Hurston – 1891

  One of America’s most important writers, Zora Neale Hurston committed to writing stories about Black culture and experiences. Her books include Barracoon, Dust Tracks on a Road, Mules and Men and her most popular Their Eyes were Watching God.

  Jann Wenner – 1946

  In 1967, the publisher co-founded Rolling Stone Magazine. The magazine is one of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s most definitive publications chronicling the history, culture, and people of the music industry.

  Katie Couric – 1957

  For more than 40 years, the journalist has been presenting the news. Couric has hosted shows at three major networks, and in 2006 became the first woman to solo anchor the CBS Evening News.

  December 22, 2014

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  National Day Calendar

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  Art & Entertainment, January 07, National Day

• NATIONAL TEMPURA DAY | January 7

  NATIONAL TEMPURA DAY

  On January 7th, National Tempura Day encourages us to celebrate with a dish made with a tempura batter. This Japanese fare includes either seafood or vegetables dipped in batter and deep-fried. 

  #NationalTempuraDay

  Where did tempura originate? No one really knows. What we do know is back in 1549, Portuguese sailors arrived in Japan and introduced a way of battering and frying food that is now infused into the culture.

  Today, chefs all over the world include tempura dishes on their menus. They use a wide variety of different batters and ingredients, including nontraditional broccoli, zucchini, and asparagus. Chefs also dip dry fruits in a tempura batter too. In addition, some American restaurants serve chicken and cheeses, particularly mozzarella, in a tempura style.

  For sushi lovers, a more recent variation of tempura sushi provides a new way of enjoying the delicacy. Shushi chefs tempura fry entire pieces of delicate sushi and serve it on a beautiful platter. 

  HOW TO OBSERVE 

  What is your favorite way to enjoy tempura? Mix up your best tempura recipes. When you do, let your friends and family be your taste testers! We even have a recipe for you to try. Be sure to let us know your favorite combinations, too!

  Have some tempura and use #NationalTempuraDay to post on social media.

  NATIONAL TEMPURA DAY HISTORY

  While we haven’t discovered the origins of the day, we still occasionally heat up some oil and mix up some batter and dip into the research.

  Tempura FAQ

  Q. What temperature should my oil be for tempura?
  A. The oil should be between 350F to 360F. When you add food to the oil, the temperature will drop, so only add a few pieces at a time so that the oil recovers quickly. Oil that is too cool will be absorbed more quickly into the food resulting in soggy tempura.

  Q. What happens if my oil is too hot?
  A. Oil that is too hot will cause the batter to burn. So, it’s important to monitor the oil temperature.

  Q. What oil should I use for tempura?
  A. Vegetable oils with a high smoking point such as corn, peanut, safflower, or the most popular for tempura is canola.

  June 11, 2014

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  National Day Calendar

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  January 07, National Day